Getting Stoned with the Savages: A Trip through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu

After two grueling years on the island of Tarawa, Troost was in no hurry to return to the South Pacific until he began to feel remarkably out of place in modern America. He knew it was time to set off again for parts unknown. Here he tells the story of his time on Vanuatu, a cluster of islands where he struggles against typhoons, earthquakes, and giant centipedes but finds himself swept up in the laid-back, clothing-optional lifestyle of the islanders.

Headhunters on My Doorstep: A True Treasure Island Ghost Story

Entertainment Weekly calls acclaimed author and essayist J. Maarten Troost a "funny, candid, and down-to-earth travel companion". Both witty and poignant, Headhunters on My Doorstep follows Troost as he retraces Robert Louis Stevenson’s path through the South Pacific. Somewhere between AA meetings in Tahiti and discovering how the Island of Merrymaking got its name, Troost reconnects with himself, his family, and the beauty of life.

Indonesia, Etc.: Exploring the Improbable Nation

Bewitched by Indonesia for twenty-five years, Elizabeth Pisani recently traveled 26,000 miles around the archipelago in search of the links that bind this impossibly disparate nation. Fearless and funny, Pisani shares her deck space with pigs and cows, bunks down in a sulfurous volcano, and takes tea with a corpse. Along the way, she observes Big Men with child brides, debates corruption and cannibalism, and ponders "sticky" traditions that cannot be erased.

Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide

Whatever You Do, Don't Run is a hilarious collection of true tales from top ­safari guide Peter Allison. In a place where the wrong behavior could get you eaten, Allison has survived face-to-face encounters with big cats, angry ­elephants, and the world's most unpredictable animals: herds of untamed tourists and foolhardy guides whose outrageous antics sometimes make them even more dangerous than a pride of hungry lions!

Neither Here nor There

In Neither Here nor There Bill Bryson brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia.

China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power

National Public Radio's Beijing correspondent Rob Gifford recounts his travels along Route 312, the Chinese Mother Road, the longest route in the world's most populous nation. Based on his successful NPR radio series, China Road draws on Gifford's 20 years of observing first-hand this rapidly transforming country, as he travels east to west, from Shanghai to China's border with Kazakhstan. As he takes listeners on this journey, he also takes them through China's past and present while he tries to make sense of this complex nation's potential future.

The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain

In 1995, Bill Bryson got into his car and took a weeks-long farewell motoring trip about England before moving his family back to the United States. The book about that trip, Notes from a Small Island, is uproarious and endlessly endearing, one of the most acute and affectionate portrayals of England in all its glorious eccentricity ever written. Two decades later, he set out again to rediscover that country, and the result is The Road to Little Dribbling.

Where's the Next Shelter?

Where's the Next Shelter? is the true story of three travelers on the Appalachian Trail, a 2,000-mile hike that stretches from Georgia to Maine, told from the perspective of Gary Sizer, a seasoned backpacker and former marine who quickly finds himself humbled by the endeavor. If you long for the horizon or to sleep under the stars, then come along for the hike of a lifetime. All you have to do is take the first step.

The Wonder Trail: True Stories from Los Angeles to the End of the World

Steve Hely, writer for The Office and American Dad!, and recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, presents a travel book about his journey through Central and South America. Part travel book, part pop history, part comic memoir, Hely's writing will make listeners want to reach for their backpacks and hiking boots.

China in Ten Words

From one of China’s most acclaimed writers, his first work of nonfiction to appear in English: a unique, intimate look at the Chinese experience over the last several decades, told through personal stories and astute analysis that sharply illuminate the country’s meteoric economic and social transformation. Characterized by Yu Hua’s trademark wit, insight, and courage, China in Ten Words is a refreshingly candid vision of the “Chinese miracle” and all its consequences, from the singularly invaluable perspective of a writer living in China today.

My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth

In My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth, Wendy shares a glimpse of North Korea as it's never been seen before. Even though it's the scariest place on Earth, somehow Wendy forgot to check her sense of humor at the border. But Wendy's initial amusement and bewilderment soon turned to frustration and growing paranoia.

Canoeing The Congo: First Source to Sea Descent of the Congo River

Canoeing the Congo narrates the journey of Phil Harwood, who undertook an epic five-month solo attempt to canoe the Congo River in war-torn Central Africa. It was a historic 'first descent' from the true source in the highlands of Zambia. Just short of 3,000 miles long, the Congo River is the eighth longest in the world and the deepest river in the world, with a flow rate second only to the Amazon. Along the way, Phil encountered numerous waterfalls, huge rapids, man-eating crocodiles, hippos, aggressive snakes...

The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places from Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley

In The Geography of Genius, acclaimed travel writer Weiner sets out to examine the connection between our surroundings and our most innovative ideas. He explores the history of places, like Vienna of 1900, Renaissance Florence, ancient Athens, Song Dynasty Hangzhou, and Silicon Valley, to show how certain urban settings are conducive to ingenuity.

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World

Part foreign affairs discourse, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, The Geography of Bliss takes the reader from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in the crabby author's case, moments of "un-unhappiness". This uses a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is.

A Brief History of Vice: How Bad Behavior Built Civilization

Guns, germs, and steel might have transformed us from hunter-gatherers into modern man, but booze, sex, trash talk, and tripping built our civilization. Cracked editor Robert Evans brings his signature dogged research and lively insight to uncover the many and magnificent ways vice has influenced history, from the prostitute-turned-empress who scored a major victory for women's rights to the beer that helped create - and destroy - South America's first empire.

The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds

Forty years ago Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky wrote a series of breathtakingly original studies undoing our assumptions about the decision-making process. Their papers showed the ways in which the human mind erred systematically when forced to make judgments about uncertain situations. Their work created the field of behavioral economics, revolutionized Big Data studies, advanced evidence-based medicine, led to a new approach to government regulation, and made Michael Lewis' work possible.

The Lost Continent: Travels In Small Town America

Hardly anyone ever leaves Des Moines, Iowa. But Bill Bryson did, and after 10 years in England he decided to go home, to a foreign country. In an ageing Chevrolet Chevette, he drove nearly 14,000 miles through 38 states to compile this hilarious and perceptive state-of-the-nation report on small-town America.

The Mother Tongue

With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson - the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent - brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience, and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't) to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries.

Publisher's Summary

J. Maarten Troost charmed listeners with his humorous tales of wandering the remote islands of the South Pacific in The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages. When the travel bug bit again, he took on the world's most populous and intriguing nation.

As Troost relates his gonzo adventure - dodging deadly drivers in Shanghai, eating yak in Tibet, deciphering restaurant menus (offering local favorites such as cattle penis with garlic), and visiting with Chairman Mao (still dead) - he reveals a vast, complex country on the brink of transformation that will soon shape the way we all work, live, and think.

This insightful, hilarious narrative brings China to life as you've never seen it before.

This book is different in scope than Troost's previous books but is similarly sharp and witty. It is at times harsh and unflattering to China but reveals at least as many shortcomings about the author. I would not depend upon Troost for accurate historical or demographic details but he does provide an entertaining perspective on the chaos of modern China as seen by a (far) outsider. For a more balanced view from a China insider I would recommend "China Road". It also is not very flattering to China at times but is not as "over the top" as Troost.

I learned much from the author's adventures. Many smiles. The narrator is great. There's a lot of W. Bush hating, which will quickly date the book. I've already pretty much forgotten him myself. And how many times do we need to be told that the air is horrible and the Chinese spit all over everything?

What the author observed about China and its people is true. I've observed the good, the bad and the ugly behavior first hand but it's true on all the races. I heard in Europe, flatulence is common in public areas; heard and smelled? The author just echoed what most foreigners observed from their dealings with the Chinese people in China or abroad.
I like all kinds of races. I still admire the Chinese people. It's just a different culture.
The book is funny and hilariously narrated.
Love it.
Annie of Palo Alto, CA

What made the experience of listening to Lost on Planet China the most enjoyable?

The first-person account of a foreigner visiting China and being assaulted with sights, sounds, culture, cities, people, foods, language and customs that were so totally FOREIGN that it blew away all the stereotypes.

What did you like best about this story?

It made me laugh a lot as the author got into one awkward situation after another, such as with a Chinese woman who took the American name 'Cinderella' and what the implications might be for him if she thought he was Prince Charming.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Because the author writes in the first person, it has to be him. I don't know how Maarten really sounds but Simon Vance has the perfect inflection to convey a 30-something Dutch-American wandering all over China.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely. I looked forward to the commute so I could hear more and felt disappointed when I arrived at the office and had to turn it off.

Any additional comments?

The author uses plenty of profanity, so don't get this if that will bother you. It's done in a cheerful way, but it could offend some people.

I adore this author. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be a fan of the travel genre. What I love about his books is he his ability to walk the line between irreverence and respect for other ways of life. He is not afraid to state an opinion or ignore PC decorum but also depicts through his story a greater understanding and depth of the culture in which hes immersed. He has a charming way of describing the awkward and often amusing confusion that happens when unfamiliar cultures meet. He also interweaves history without seeming boring.
So needless to say I could not wait to get my hands on this book, or er my ipod. I have studied China in school for many years and have friends who live there or have lived there.
I was disappointed. Maybe it is because he did not live in this area like in his previous books but the book has little continuity and he fails to grasp so much of Chinese culture. I was also horrified by his depiction of Chinese history. He generalizes such a great deal of the history in a biased and inaccurate manner. Whether it is their ancient history or current times, Troost just did not get the Chinese. I don't think he liked China much at all. There is a falseness about his writing that becomes even more obvious when his journey takes him to Tibet, which he obviously did like and relate to, and his writing all at once seems more easy and honest. He is not blatently hostile. He generally tries to be fair but does not seem to gather the empathy that is evident in his earlier books. This is evident in the title, to him China is another planet and he does say this. I don't feel his heart was in this book.
That being said, it is worth a listen. Just don't take his interpretation of history too literally, especially the ancient. The book is not fluid and does not seem as put together or complete as his previous novels. This writing is more what I'd expect from a professional blog than a book. I hope the next one is better.

This is a wonderful travelogue! Mr. Troost writes of many issues in modern China - pollution, the explosion of "capitalism", chinese tourism, censorship - and does so with clever and witty prose. The narration is excellent. I highly recommend this book.

I suspect strongly that Simon Vance's narration is all that saves this book from utter unbearability - his soothing, very British intonations smoothing-over and camouflaging a tale that should, in justice, probably be delivered in a nasal, wheedling, north-American whine.

The Chinese, you see, in Troost's eyes, simply cannot do anything right.

His account is in the gonzo comic style, and might almost be compared to Bill Bryson, except that Troost has little interest in the locals' opinions. After all, he has so many of his own to give us.

Make no mistake - this is an entertaining account, and doubtlessly, of course, much of his criticism is justified, particularly of the regime. But it's striking how his cynicism - and, I'll add, his skepticism - switches off the moment he crosses the 'border' into Tibet.

Probably one to digest before traveling there yourself for the first time, on a forewarned is forearmed basis; hell, after all, it's unlikely your own experience would be worse!

Would you consider the audio edition of Lost on Planet China to be better than the print version?

I get the audiobook precisely because I don't want to read. However, that being said, I couldn't imagine this book without Simon Vance's narration. The British accent simply adds to the outrageousness and curltural extremes. This is an adventure book and as Maarten considers raising children in a world of Chinese dominance, we get an up close and unvarnished view of the makers of everything cheap. 1.5 billion Chinese all living together in smog, close quarters and a dizzy array of sub dialetics. As a power to contend with in the world, China is known to be oppressive, impressive and big!

What other book might you compare Lost on Planet China to and why?

Before starting this adventure, begin with Maarten's book Sex Lives of Cannibals and go on to Getting Stoned with Savages. Come back in the knowledge that whatever is going on in China, we will follow the man lived and drank with cannibals and survived, so how bad can it be there? Really, really bad.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Listening to Simon is just too damn funny. As Maarten, the Netherland born, California based, pragmatic english speaking (with a British accent), he is absolutely brilliant.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The cultural shocks in this audiobook are extreme. The Chinese do things their way and the author revealing China, all the warts, beauty, bigness, and amazing discriptions of scenic vistas totally breath-taking in scope.

Any additional comments?

Although the author mentions it a number of times, it should be said that China is big. Really big!

Having been to China a few times, I found myself bursting out laughing while driving and listening to this engaging book. I enjoyed this book immensely and found it quite factual. Troost's descriptions of the smog, the spitting, the split pants was both hilarious and true. China is a great country with a great history. It also has some downsides. Troost handled the downsides with wonderful humor. Anyone who has spent any time in china outside of a five star hotel will find very familiar descriptions in this book. If you haven't been to china, it is just as enjoyable. This is a side of China. Not all of china, but certainly one truthful side.

This book has it all as far as I am concerned! It is interesting, informative, funny and thoughtful - what more could you ask for! It's about the authors travels through modern China and his observations of everyday life for the average Chinese person, from what they eat, work, history, etc - it's not as boring as I have made it sound! I would highly recommend it - I only wish Audible had more of his books on here - I would get them in a flash! Please read it - you will love it - honest!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

SARA-MADGE WYNNE

EDINBURGH, United Kingdom

2/19/13

Overall

"China at it’s best"

Brilliantly narrated, this is the best journey through China I have yet to find. From the hilarious to the frightening, it is a fantastic listen.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Mimo

Solihull, UK

7/31/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Excellent Story"

I really enjoyed this book, very well written and narrated! I have travelled extensively throughout China (including Tibet) and this book give a true and funny account of what it is like! I recommend! 😎

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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